Kerry Smith

Kerry F. Smith - •- Senior Executive Leader adept at assessing enterprise performance and creating and executing strategies to enhance operational and financial performance Expertise across various industries, including construction, wholesale distribution, manufacturing, software, and notfor-profit. Strong strategic vision and execution blend with solid technical understanding to improve efficiencies, create meaningful metrics and establish profitability targets. In-depth knowledge of operations, workforce management, financial reporting, and interpretation of financial results used to execute strategic objectives. Excellent ability to foster internal and external relationships. Active and prominent community leader. Core Competencies ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ Strategic planning, financial decision making Operational management Product development and strategy Entrepreneurship Merger and acquisition Profit & Loss analysis, cash projections Budget management, variance analysis Financial and operational performance metrics Management of key financial relationships Raising venture capital and grant writing ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ Collaborative leader and mentor Risk management and insurance strategies Public speaking Sales and marketing strategies Staff development, training, mentoring Margin analysis and product costing Capital investment consideration and related ROI Financial modeling Accounting controls, GAAP compliance Tax planning and compliance Professional Experience J.F. Edwards Construction Company April 2023 – June 2024 CFO Provide strategic financial leadership and management for a large specialty contractor. Responsible for managing the accounting, finance, human resources, legal, IT, and tax activities. Providing mentorship and supervision to a team of three managers and seven staff. Manage external banking, insurance, and legal relationships. Provide oversight to ensure timely and accurate monthly financial statements are provided to management and foreign ownership. Provide oversight and expertise for risk management strategies. ➢ Migration of applications and systems from on-premise to cloud. ➢ Plan and implement strategies to reduce data touch points and spreadsheet dependency. ➢ Create operational and financial dashboards showcasing metrics for decision-making. ➢ Provide oversight and expertise to enhance employee training, recruitment, and retention strategies. ➢ Manage lawsuits, insurance, and other employee claims, including successful mediation and settlements. ➢ Provide oversight and expertise for billing strategies to enhance cash flow. ➢ Provide oversight and expertise to estimate the costs to complete and profit on open projects. ➢ Prepare the annual budget and business plan. ➢ Collaboration with the senior management team to execute strategic priorities. Various Enterprises September 2022 – April 2023 Fractional CFO ➢ Assist in formulating the enterprise’s future direction by providing input on the enterprise’s business plan, financial and tax strategies, budgeting, and forecasting. ➢ Develop performance measures that support the enterprise’s strategic direction. ➢ Maintain in-depth relations with all members of the management team. ➢ Manage the accounting, human resources, legal, and tax activities. ➢ Understand and mitigate key elements of the enterprise’s risk profile. ➢ Report financial results to the board of directors. ➢ Maintain appropriate insurance coverage. ➢ Monitor cash balances and cash forecasts. Kerry Smith, CPA – page 2 ChalkBites, Inc. August 2020 – August 2022 CEO Provide executive leadership and operational management for a seed-stage start-up software development enterprise. Responsible for raising venture capital and shareholder management, leading and mentoring team members, creating and executing marketing and sales strategies, customer acquisition and management, product development and delivery, managing vendor and banking relationships, and establishing financial and administrative best practices. ➢ Refined business plan and strategy used to raise venture capital and win several key investors. ➢ Refined product proposal and delivery model to win strategic customer relationships. ➢ Enhanced product utility and increased existing product inventory. ➢ Discontinued unsuccessful operations and products. ➢ Created and executed marketing strategies that increased deal flow and market presence. ➢ Identified and cultivated relationships with relevant subject matter experts, vendors, and other third parties, including executing several reseller agreements. Honkamp Krueger & Co. 2013 – 2020 PARTNER Led Honkamp Krueger’s Quad City practice, responsible for growing and managing Honkamp’s Quad City office. Firm leader providing GAAP expertise for the entire firm’s accounting and audit practice. Provide ongoing thought leadership, coaching, and mentoring for managers and senior staff. Member of the leadership team; identified and executed best practices for growing professional services practice as part of ongoing strategic planning initiatives. ➢ Grew practice from 3 employees to over 65 in less than three years. This resulted from winning new client relationships with service and expertise and entering into strategic acquisitions of existing firms. ➢ Devise strategies to improve margins by recommending changes to more effectively manage client workforces, analyzing product and customer selection, and improving inventory and vendor management. ➢ Build comprehensive corporate tax strategies, capitalizing on applicable industry tax credits or deductions and reviewing entity formation and filing status to minimize corporate and shareholder tax liability. ➢ Advise clients on financial institution selection, negotiating financing agreements, and reviewing terms and conditions for capital expenditures. ➢ Evaluate merger and acquisition opportunities for clients by developing financial models to understand current and future risks and benefits. ➢ Develop short and long-term succession plans: identify internal leadership potential, review timelines and ownership structures, and form plans for the transfer or sale of the business. RSM US, LLP 1997 – 2013 DIRECTOR 2006 – 2013 Developed new and managed existing client relationships. Mentored, supervised, and developed staff and managers, Provided profit enhancement and tax saving strategies to new and existing clients. Oversaw and approved the technical elements and services for several annual audits and attestation engagements to ensure compliance with GAAP and audit standards. Responsible for practice development activities, including identification of prospective clients and winning several new relationships each year ➢ Volunteered to be a regional leader in college campus recruiting efforts. Built strategic relationships with college and university faculty and provided greater access to top-tier entry-level college graduates. ➢ Maximize return on investments for projects by appropriately leveraging lower-cost staff while meeting risk management objectives. Kerry Smith, CPA – page 3 MANAGER 2003 – 2006 Developed, communicated, and evaluated client engagement expectations. Provided engagement Fairness Review, ensuring compliance with all technical standards. Evaluated available staff resources and allocated project teams for client work; organized and scheduled teams, coordinating all logistics of engagement with clients. Facilitated continuing education programs for professional staff at a local, regional, and national level. Directly responsible for management and oversight of professional staff to ensure their compliance with administrative and technical responsibilities. ➢ Executed and led a regional initiative to use software tools to automate audit procedures that substantially increased productivity across all engagements. SUPERVISOR 2001 – 2003 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT 1998 – 2001 STAFF ACCOUNTANT 1997 – 1998 Education & Certifications CPA Licensure, Iowa and Illinois University of Iowa Tippie College of Business BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, ACCOUNTING Community Leadership & Activities YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley, current Board member and Treasurer Putnam Museum and Science Center, current Board Chair and past Treasurer United Way of the Quad Cities, current Board Member and Treasurer Junior Achievement of the Heartland, current Board Member German American Heritage Center, former Board member and Treasurer Quad City Scholars, former Board member and Treasurer Quad Cities Area Leaders Under 40, 2011 Construction Financial Managers Association, Eastern Iowa Chapter, Program Committee former member American Institute of CPAs, member Iowa Society of CPAs, member 1997